My greatest fear in life would be doing something or leading my family in a direction that is against what God has called us to do. Ever since I gave my life to Jesus when I was eight, and especially since I was called into full-time ministry at eighteen, I have learned that the most fulfilling and fruitful place to be is at the center of God’s will. But sometimes leaving where you are to move into that center can be terrifying.

On November 10th, 2015 our world was turned upside down . . . Let me back up. You could say we were living the dream. Sure we had our tough times and difficult seasons but we were chasing our dreams and loving every second of it. Four years ago Jesus called my wife, Amanda, and me to leave what we considered to be the best church in the world in the best city in the world, move to a city where we hardly new a soul, and start a church that would see a city come to life with the Gospel of Jesus.

I know the two of them would have had much to talk about. Both loved basketball, Chip and Joanna Gaines, and photography. Both ran competitively in their teenage years, Amanda with the cross-country team in high school and Kristi the 4x400 relay in high school as well as cross-country in college. Both felt freest when they laced up their Asics and strode out on a country road for a couple miles. Kristi in particular was an incredible long-distance sprinter, posting a 59.2 second 400 split with a baton in her hand.